Welcome. The Thirsty Journal is a 31 Day Journey with God. Once you finish with the Introduction, you will see that the Journal is broken into 4 week- long sections, each beginning with a challenge and followed by seven daily devotional thoughts. Each new week begins with a new challenge! If you're ready, click forward to the Introduction to start your journey to knowing God more intimately. This is what the Lord says: Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he knows and understands me, that I am the Lord who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on the earth, for in these I delight declares the Lord. Jeremiah 9:23, 24 Before we begin, it?s important that we have one thought clear in our minds: knowing God is a journey. That?s why the writer of Hebrews says, "God is a rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him." To know God well takes time, energy, patience, and commitment. In other words, intimacy with God is a process --a life-long pursuit. There is no simple formula. No one, two, three. Rather, our relationship with God is a living thing, a dynamic adventure... one that changes like the seasons of life. Sustained intimacy with the Creator is a challenge in this broken and sinful world. Such a pursuit requires all of who we are. Yet to "go for it" brings a reward that is beyond our comprehension. Take another look at Hebrews 11:6. "Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him." Here we discover four things that are essential for the journey: faith, revelation, sacrifice, and hope. The journey to intimacy with God is a journey of faith. As the writer of Hebrews states, to know God we must believe that "He is." In other words, we begin with faith. Before we can pursue God, we must believe that He exists, and that He is waiting to be found by each of us. Those who persevere in the pursuit of intimacy greet each day with the conviction that there is a God they can know and a God worth knowing well. Without revelation, the journey to intimacy is uncertain and unclear. Simply put, we cannot know God unless He chooses to show us who He is ?unless He reveals to us His awesome nature and character. Fortunately, He has, allowing our pursuit of Him to be fueled constantly by His unfolding self-portrait in scripture and His ultimate revelation in the face of Jesus Christ. Through His Word we know God is: who He says He is ?not who we define Him to be; all of who He says He is ?not just the parts we like best; always who He says He is ?never effected by circumstance or change. The journey to intimacy with God follows the road called "sacrifice." Notice the words "diligently and earnestly" in verse 6. We all know it takes endurance and sacrifice to scale the awe-inspiring peaks of earth. Pursuing our Creator is no different. In other words, there is a price to be paid for intimacy with God. In his book, "Intimacy with the Almighty," Chuck Swindoll highlights four essential disciplines necessary to know God well: Simplicity ?reordering our private world; Silence ?allowing us to be still before God; Solitude ? cultivating serenity in our souls; Surrender ?resulting from complete trust in God. Without these, we will only see from a distance, never truly knowing the face of God. Hope fuels the journey. We begin the journey with faith. Faith is born out of God?s revelation of Himself. The heights of His majesty are scaled by rugged determination. And, finally, hope sustains us along the way. Hope in what, you ask? Hope in God?s promise to reward those who keep on seeking Him. How long it takes, I cannot say. Your reward may come in a day, an hour, a week, or a season. But it will come. And the reward? The prize of prizes ?God Himself. Seekers every facet of their lives. How To "Max Out" This Journal First, know that you can get to intimacy with God from without knowing that such a relationship is attainable for each of us. The key is to begin ?and to keep moving. Completing this journal is not "the goal" in and of itself. These pages are only designed to kick-start your journey and encourage you in your pursuit of God. There are thirty-one stops along the way. Thirty- one days if you wish... thirty-one hours if you?re really famished! Remember at each stop to: Recognize the presence of God. Talk to Him (preferably aloud) and include Him in everything you do. Don?t miss God. He is there. State the goal at the outset of every stop by saying to Him, "God I want to know you more." Read, think about, and meditate on each scripture given. Listen to the music online (via the RealPlayer) and/or use the companion CD where indicated. Listen. Reflect on the words. Make the songs a prayer. Keep the CD in the pocket in the back cover while you are taking the journey. Journal your thoughts and prayers to God. To journal is simply to pour out the response of your heart and mind to the revealed person and character of God. Write a prayer, an honest confession, a song of praise, or a poem. Make notes, draw pictures, sketch diagrams... whatever helps you best process and ponder what God is showing you about Himself. Journal a conversation with God. Don?t write for others, as we have the tendency to do. Write for God alone. Enjoy. God?s invitation is to "taste and see that [He] is good." (Psalm 34:8). The pursuit of God is not a sad or boring journey; it?s an incredible opportunity to enjoy God with all that you are. During your "Alone Time" with God it?s OK to laugh out loud. Cry. Shout. Dance. Be silent. Fall down. Take a walk. Listen. Stand up. Smile. Kneel. Whisper. Rock out. But, whatever you do, enjoy it. Let’s go for it! "Your name and Your renown are the desire of our souls." Rooted in the confession of Isaiah 26:8, these words capture the heartbeat of a generation desiring to live for the glory of God. Having exchanged a me-centered lifestyle for a God-glorifying passion, the 268 Generation is motivated by the hope of magnifying the greatness of God with all that they have and are. Flowing out of Isaiah 26:8 are the five statements of the 268 Declaration. The first reads: Because I was created by God and for His glory, I will magnify Him as I respond to His great love. My desire is to make knowing and enjoying God the passionate pursuit of my life. This first declaration fuels the others, calling us to an unrelenting pursuit of the heart of God. It calls us to our created purpose. Knowing God is a journey for life. Obviously, such a pursuit is far greater than this small guide, but our prayer is that these words and songs will spur you on to greater glimpses of His majesty. For only those who know God intimately will live passionately for Him in this world. Louie Giglio Renown: indelible memory; fame that never fades -1- My Soul Thirsts For You Read Psalm 63 List three or four things that you are earnestly seeking today. What does it mean to have a soul that clings to God? Write a description of God based on the words you find in this Psalm. How was David?s passion and thirst for God displayed in action? Start where you are: if David?s expression is not exactly where you are with God, pray this Psalm back to God with the words, "I want" added to each phrase. example: "I want to seek you earnestly." Your love is better than life, so I will praise You. psalm 63:3 God I Want To Know You Read Philippians 3:7-10 What will pursuing intimacy with God cost you? Is an intimate friendship with God worth the price? Why/why not? Identify the three or four major enemies of intimacy with God in your life. Who can you share these with, asking for their accountability in this journey? How does the gift of Christ?s righteousness Paul talks about in verse 9 impact your pursuit of knowing God? Why are we often more willing to pay a high price for earthly stuff than for intimacy with God? Passion is the degree of difficulty we are willing to endure to reach the goal. Riter The "cost of discipleship," though it may take all we have, is small when compared to the lot of those who don?t accept Christ?s invitation to be a part of His company in The Way of life. Dallas Willard Give us clean hands Read Psalm 24 we bow our hearts we bend our knees oh Spirit come make us humble we turn our eyes from evil things oh Lord we cast down our idols give us clean hands give us pure hearts let us not lift our souls to another oh God let us be the generation that seeks who seeks Your face of God of Jacob.